There is an opportunity for co-operatives to engage more with younger farmers by setting up a junior board of the co-op, Macra na Feirme president James Healy has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“This would both give the participant experience of being in a board environment and also it would show the co-op how people react in various scenarios.

“Young farmers have done the ICOS director courses in the past and they are enthusiastic and they have the technical and theoretical knowledge but don’t get an opportunity to put them into practice.

“If you look at the likes of FrieslandCampina, they have a junior board,” he said.

Healy said that the senior board would set some agenda items and give young farmers the experience of discussing it in a board setting.

“From a co-op view, they get to see the farmers who are suited to that atmosphere. There seems to be a reluctance to let young farmers into positions in this country at time. If we could create an opening for that young farmer voice to be heard and if we could get one co-op on board to trial it, that would be a good start.”